Previously, Chevrolet had been roped into some controversy when Kid Rock began associating the brand with the Confederate flag, a symbol the artist has used for some time in his support for the south and southern rock, but things are becoming a tad more heated.
According to The Detroit Free Press, Chevrolet will continue to sponsor Rock after an interview with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly.
In response to those protesting use of the Stars and Bars, Rock replied “kiss my ass” on the news network. Now, the Detroit chapter of the National Action Network has called on General Motors to pull its sponsorship of Rock’s latest summer tour.
“It’s obvious to us that, by supporting [Rock], while he’s making inflammatory statements, General Motors becomes an accomplice if they allow him their support to stand behind his statements,” the Rev. Charles Williams II, NAN’s Detroit chapter director, told The Detroit Free Press.
Refuting this call, a Chevrolet spokesperson released an official statement saying, “We are committed to our sponsorship of Kid Rock’s summer tour and are confident that he will provide his fans, many of whom are proud Chevrolet owners, with a spectacular concert experience that celebrates American freedom.”
As for the Confederate flag usage, fans report the symbol has been missing in action as of recent during his most recent stops. Some say they haven’t seen him fly the flag in years.
Kid Rock stands by he usage however saying, “It’s not about hatred or being a racist. I like Southern rock music, and a lot of people died under that flag for beliefs they had, right or wrong. But it stands for rebel, and my love of Southern rock.”
Comments
The NAN group is directly related to Al Sharpton who is always in it for the spotlight. That means money for him.
Additionally the NAN was all about the No justice, No Peace rant. Even though that was a proven lie.
Racism sucks! Race baiters dividing the people & in this case, trying to divide a co. for media outrage while making money is just ugly.
Are you serious? Your comments have nothing to do with the confederate flag. The confederate flag is offensive just like a swastika. I don’t see anyone in this country supporting the right to display swastikas.
I like how T48 infers that Al Sharpton isn’t trying to help his people in the slightest. That it’s all ego and clams for Sharpton. A form of racism within it itself. Only to then call others race baiters.
How can racism die when so many self proclaimed victims have made such a lucrative business of it.
Do you really believe that? The article mentioned that some people were offended by the remarks made by Kidd rock. I’m not sure why the conversation is focusing on the people who are offended. I don’t think Kidd rock needs you to defend him.
You wrote the words “self proclaimed victims”. Who are these self proclaimed victims?
funny how many blacks are killed by other blacks compared to ones killed by whites but no one seems to care about that especially other blacks. why no riots in the streets for that ??
Look guys, it’s the old “black on black crime” talking point! Never mind that whites kill whites more than any other groups.
People kill where they live and who they know. Black on black crime is about as real as white on white crime.
Ok, motorman, say what you wrote is true. WHY do blacks kill each other so much? Answer that question.
1. Kid Rock is from MIchigan.
2. Kid Rock can say the flag stands for ‘rebel’ and his love of ‘Southern Rock’. Just like I can say the flag is a favorite of the KKK and stands for my love of Trader Joe’s natural peanut butter. The individual doesn’t matter here. The big picture does.
3. A person waving a confederate flag who walks into a church and mows down black people with the desire to insight a race war can, by anyone’s definition, be considered a rebel. As well as a terrorist.
4. Adolf Hitler wanted to save his country from poverty. So if you have German blood in you, show some pride and put a swastika on your front door.
5. Why is someone in this thread pointing out that Al Sharpton has money to make on this without mentioning Kid Rock has money to make off Southern White Pride types?
6.
7. A conservative Governor gladly took down the flag. Not a newly elected Democrat. Or is that too hard for apologists to figure out.
8. In Los Angeles I’ve noticed lots of black people driving Chevys. LOTS. And lots of black people like Cadillacs. And GMC Terrains. I don’t think GM wants these customers telling them to kiss their ass.
9. No other region of America waves a regional flag with great pride. The rest of America waves the American flag with pride. The South has issues.
10. The adults in the room realize there has never been a Black American Rebel Flag Pride Parade… and there never will be.
At the last minute I had to double-check #6. It is correct. Southern White Pride is an anagram of Lecherous White Untruth.
how many of these people who claim they came from slave blood realize if not for slavery they would not be here in the USA. they could be in Africa starving to death or dying of aids.
… so your position is that Kid Rock is or isn’t supporting racists like yourself?
So you really think Kid is a racist?
Learn how to read.
Well mr smart guy you had better explain this to his biracial son he raised and his boat axial grand children.
You may also want to explain this to the loyal non white members of his band to.
You said you were in LA and that explains a lot. You folks out there have no clue on anything east of Vegas and want to dictate morals on things you have no clue on.
Just because you are from the south or live in the south does not make you a bigot any more than living in LA make you a movie star.
To be honest to often the bigots are the self righteous fools like your self that just love to put labels on people and topics they have no clue about.
The war and the many things that came of it represent many thing to many people and you can not just use one label on it. This war was like no other ever fought and can not be measured by the same standards.
Also you need to learn in this country people are free to feel and say what they want no matter if agree or not. The price of that freedom is you will not always agree and at times may feel offended. So grow a pair and deal with it.
You sir have a lot to learn about the rest of the country. Much of the decline in this country has come right from your own back yard.
Just look at the idiots California elects like Pelosi and Brown
Might note the idiots that put brought the flag to the south were Dixiecrates better known as southern democrats. The folks screaming the loudest are the ones who put it in the first place.
Get a clue!
I never said he was racist. That’s what ‘learn how to read’ means.
(It’s cute how I didn’t take your lame bait and you had to pretend I did anyway to say something both irrelevant and asinine.)
I will say KidRock’s exploiting apologist racists like yourself.
Keep on drinking the cool aid LOL!
Basically your wondering rant was that if we do not believe as you it makes us a racists. If we feel it is ok if someone private wants to use the flag for their own conceived purpose it is a crime.
You my friend are the one who is the bigot for your own preconceived notions of what someone is based on where they live or what something means to them.
Your glaring lack of the full history of the south really is showing. Just because you like the rebel flag and live in the south does not make you a racist. You have a right to feel as you do but others can feel as they like about the flag.
The war was not all about slavery. It was the foundation of the war but many other things all piled in and it just was not that simple during and after the war. A lot of people had many issues in the conflict and many suffered many losses that affected them all. That is why we still have the flag today as it did not mean the same thing to all people. Over the years it has even evolve as it was used on the Dukes of Hazard to just represent the south. It represents a part of the country much like those in California who fly the Mexican flag. They are proud of where they are from just as many in the south.
They do not say southern by the grace of God flippantly.
Sorry Kid Rock is not exploiting anyone. He gets what the flag means to most people and knows that people felt that way before we ever heard of him and they will feel the same long after he is gone.
The fact is no one need apologies for the flag as we know and understand the truth. This will all die down as it has in the past and it will remain.
It would do you some good to spend some real time with the real south. You really could learn some things and solve many of the real issues our country has because of the things people like you just do not understand.
I guess your history is not good enough to recall how one of the most racist areas in our country was not Alabama but Oregon. Yes Portland even after WWII had people in office that were KKK members and would not afro Americans live in their city. Kaiser built a ship yard there during the war and he had to build a small town for the black workers to live in.
It took a flood in 1948 to wipe out the town and 16 of its citizens before they would let the blacks into the city. Then it was only because they had to.
The fact is most racist have no southern drawl.
I love how people like you think you are so smart but you get taken by the race baiters in the media and like Mr. Sharpton as they get rich off of many sad things that happen.
You are getting used like a Whore and you never even got a kiss from Al or Jessie.
“Basically your wondering rant was that if we do not believe as you it makes us a racists”
I can consider anyone who would abide the following statement with silence a racist —
“how many of these people who claim they came from slave blood realize if not for slavery they would not be here in the USA. they could be in Africa starving to death or dying of aids.”
— as well as the person who made this statement a racist.
I will never say that there are no racist or people who say stupid things. But that is his and your right to do so and while I do not agree I respect your right to do so.
Very vague, hyperv6, and kind of a dodge. (I know, what’s worse than a Dodge, right?)
The issue isn’t if people who are racist or say stupid things should be allowed to speak or disagree. (Freedom of speech isn’t relevant here.)
The issue here is can you call someone racist who suggests blacks didn’t have it so bad here as slaves. And can you call peeps who don’t call someone on this racist.
You’ve already spoken twice. By not speaking at all to this.
Scott3, how does having biracial children disprove whether someone is a racist? A many slave masters had biracial children. Even George Wallace had a biracial child.
Actions speak louder than words.
He was not a slave owner and loved his sons mother. He has worked with and helped many in the African American Community for years with little publicity.
Kid Rock was honored in 2011 by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People branch in Detroit so they even have a unbiased opinion of him.
I have never been to one of his concerts nor do I expect to go to one. But I have taken notice of him in the music industry and learned many things about him that speak well of him. Many of the things he says and does are from the heart as they do not always endear him to some people. He really does represent the Rebel spirit of don’t tell me what to do and just to go along. He says and stands up for what he believes and I appreciate that. Too bad more in Hollywood and the music industry did not do the same. Too many live in fear they will be cast out.
I recommend you read up on how he came up on his own when he father did not want him in Music. If it were not for his Hip Hop African American friends in NYC he would have starved to death and that is why he gives back.
The truth is he represent what most people should strive for. Stand up for what you believe and not cower to the loud minority and the liberal media.
Curtnik — you fell into the trap. The issue is NOT if KidRock is racist. Or if the Confederate Flag is racist.
The issue is (PART ONE) if it is reasonable to perceive the flag as a hate symbol against blacks? What the racists in this thread do not wish to admit is that a Republican Governor GLADLY took the Confederate flag down. And they refuse to grant that black folks also have Southern Pride… but for some reason… refuse to stand behind this flag. Answer: YES it’s reasonable to perceive the flag as a symbol of hate.
Once you grant that the question then becomes (PART TWO) if Chevrolet should sponsor a tour of a man who tells people to kiss his ass when it comes to displaying the Confederate Flag on tour. ANSWER: Chevy is already in the middle of a tour with his sly carpetbagger. As long as he doesn’t pull the flag out he’s probably okay. By saying ‘kiss my ass’ he’s not really responding at all to anything. Carpetbagger’s just being a ‘rebel’ and cashing in for it.
The problem is this could burn Chevy badly. I think once KidRock milks this free attention for all it’s worth he will ‘evolve’ on this issue the same way Chik fil-A ‘evolved’ once they secured the same pack of rednecks.
There is no trap. the way the flag is perceived by many is different just as many other things. Even the war it’s self hold many meanings to different people as there were many ways they lost skin in that war. It not only divided our country it divided families.
The fact is you can try to vanquish all signs of the war and in the end you will lose the greatest learning tool there is and may repeat the mistakes of the past.
Hart likes to think I am playing a game with him but it is he who is wanting to play games. The fact is Rock is not a racist and understands that the flag has many meanings and to him the one he accepts is non racist.
to most people the flag is about the willing ness to not go with the status quo.
The fact is the flag is not ever going to go away. But if you can remove the evil things some did use if for and neutralize it to just being a flag say on the top of a car in a comedy show you will take away the hate from it and make it hold a new meaning.
Kid is not milking this and only is saying what he believes. He has never mixed words in the past to what he stands for and what he believes. His for once is not one of the Hollyweird that just go with the flow of the loud minority.
The bigoted one here is the one using the term Redneck just because others disagree. Where is the tolerance there.
Mr Hart it is time you learn you can teach people right from wrong but calling them names will never change them.
If you are so worried about things why are you worried about the flag when we have kids in families that have no leadership in them. What about all the kids in the large cities that are going to gangs for a sense of family and leadership but in the end die do to gang fights?
Even if you do not believe in a God the fact is most basics of most religion teaches you a path that will keep each person and society on the right path. We are banning the 10 commandments from many things and if we all followed them Christian or not many of our problems will be solved. But our society is too selfish for that.
Funny how all of you flag haters say little or nothing on the real victims of this tragedy.
“Smart Guy”?
You sound like Dean Wormer from Faber College in Animal House.
No more Delta!
Fat drunk and stupied is no way to go through life son.
Now that is Dean Wormer.
I don’t know, motorman. That’s a tough choice. Stay in Africa and starve to death as you claim, or get taken by force, raped, beaten, killed, and forced to literally work to death, not to mention random lynchings, a eugenics program that inspired Adolph Hitler, being used as bio-weapons test subjects, and getting gunned down in worship.
Curtnik. That next drink is on me.
curtnik remember it was their fellow blacks who sold their brothers into slavery.
So are you saying black people are responsible for slavery? That all the things they’ve been through was their own fault?
Now why would a racist say something racist like that?
By the way good to Chevy so far for sticking to Kid to this point. I am sure they will donate some money and it will all go away.
Great job for GM not caving into NAN! There is no way they should pull their support for Kid Rock over the confederate flag. When will people realize the flag stood for the southern states and did not stand for slavery. People need to get over things that happened over 150 years ago!